British Golf Club May Finally Allow Female Members

The 260-year-old Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews asks members to vote for historic rule change to allow women to join

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews may finally enter the 21st century. The prestigious institution is asking its approximately 2,400 members to vote for women to be allowed to join the club.

The 260-year-old organization issued a statement on a proposed change to its membership rules, saying that its committees are “strongly in favor of the rule change and are asking members to support it,” according to ESPN.

The historic club used to be responsible for setting the rules of the game for most of the world (except for the United States and Mexico), although that responsibility is now held by a group called The R&A.

In 2012, former secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and financier Darla Moore made history after they were invited to join the previously men-only Augusta National Golf Club. That same year, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown spoke out against the influential British club’s men only rule: “If the golf club in Augusta can admit women, then shouldn’t St Andrews? If they can do it in South Carolina, can we not do it in Scotland?” Brown asked.